The software maker has been able to reach a negotiated agreement with the European Commission regarding the EU antitrust ruling.
Two areas of concern for the EU have been addressed by Microsoft with its last-minute proposals submitted on May 31. The antitrust ruling that required Microsoft to share technology with competitors, and to make available a version of the Windows operating system minus the Windows Media Player, seems to have been fulfilled.
Microsoft has appealed the finding that it engaged in monopolistic practices, but the appeal to Europe’s second-highest court could take years to complete. The company has dragged its feet for years on complying.
As part of the agreement reached last week and the talks that followed, the EU decided to exclude open-source developers from being able to participate in the opening of some Windows source code.
In exchange, Microsoft broadened the scope to a global one with regards to the designated group of competitors allowed to see the code and develop interoperable products that work better with Windows servers.
“We still believe it is an important part of the ruling that open-source developers should be able to take advantage of the disclosure of Windows protocols, but they will have to wait until after the appeal ruling,” Jonathan Todd, a commission spokesman on antitrust matters, said.
Also, the EU accepted Microsoft’s plan for making its signature operating system available in Europe without bundling in the Media Player. The EU feels this will give providers like RealNetworks and Apple fairer access to Microsoft’s customers.
But Microsoft managed a small win on this point. While the ruling required the company to make that version of Windows available, it didn’t require any price difference. Antitrust officials tried to compel Microsoft to sell Windows minus the player for less, but the company pointed out price differential was not in the ruling.
David Utter is a staff writer for Murdok covering technology and business. Email him here.
